


Heir Apparent Saves the Day

by BeStillMySlashyHeart



Category: Animal Kingdom (TV)
Genre: Fix-It, M/M, Post-Season/Series 04
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-04
Updated: 2019-10-04
Packaged: 2020-11-23 04:27:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,179
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20886104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeStillMySlashyHeart/pseuds/BeStillMySlashyHeart
Summary: Deran's a mopey mess after Adrian leaves and J needs him to get his shit together. His solution? Fixing Adrian's mess.





	Heir Apparent Saves the Day

Deran was practically living in the bar these days. When he needed a shower or to do laundry he went to Smu- to the house but otherwise the bar was his home.

He didn’t go to his actual home but it wasn’t there anymore. The house on the strand was his and Adrian’s and without Adrian, it meant nothing. So he stayed at the bar.

The first few weeks after Smurf died, after Adrian left, Deran lived in a haze. He attended family meetings, pulled his weight in whatever jobs Pope and/or J decided to pull, and kept the bar running somehow but he wasn’t really there for any of it. 

“Hey, man,” J rapped on the bar to get his attention. Deran looked over at him slowly. “You been home lately?”

“I was at the house yesterday. The meeting, remember?” 

J shook his head. “No, I mean, your place. When was the last time you were there?”

Deran shrugged even though he knew the answer. He could probably time it down to the second that he and Adrian had walked out the front door. 

“You should go home,” J told him. “Get an actual night’s sleep. Change your clothes or something.” Deran mustered a glare. His clothes were fine. So what if he kept buying new ones instead of going back to grab the ones he already owned? It didn’t matter. None of it mattered.

“Yeah, sure, whatever,” he muttered as he turned away.

“I’m serious, Deran.” J reached across the bar to grab his arm. “You should really go home.”

Deran shook him off and J sighed. He looked like he wanted to smack Deran upside the head or something to that effect but he just clenched a fist and looked to Deran’s office. “Look, can we talk? I have something to show you but-” _-not out here_.

“Yo, boss, we’re good out here,” Mark called from the other end of the bar. J got up without another word and disappeared behind the office door. With a huff, Deran dropped what he was doing and followed him.

“What do you want?” 

“Here,” J thrust some papers at him. “It took me a few weeks but I know a good lawyer, better than that shitty public defender he had. The original plea deal is back on the table and the lawyer thinks he can get it down to probation and community service.”

Deran stared at him, wide eyed. “What are you talking about?”

“Adrian,” J’s voice was steady. “He got caught smuggling coke for Jack and his crew eight months ago. The DEA offered him an immunity deal: his freedom for Jack and his suppliers. Adrian held up his end and this,” he tapped the papers in Deran’s hands, “will ensure that the DEA holds up its end.”

“Wha-”

“Smurf told me Adrian was talking but I didn’t want to just take her word for it so I looked into it. He was looking at 15 to 20 years and they offered to let him walk if he turned us in. He didn’t.” J shrugged. “Figure that kind of loyalty should be rewarded, right?”

Deran just stared at him. 

J sighed. “The lawyer wants to meet with him tomorrow and he’s got to appear in court next week so you should go talk to him.”

“He’s gone.”

J looked at him, the corner of his lips turning up in a pale imitation of a smile. “You should really go home, Deran.”

-

Deran had never driven so fast in his life, not in the Scout. He hadn’t even waited for J to leave before he was tearing out of the bar, the papers wrinkling in his hand.

The tires screeched loudly as he slammed on his breaks outside of the house. Three slammed doors later and Deran found himself in his living room for the first time in almost a month, staring out the glass doors at his back deck where-

“Adrian?” He asked as he slid the doors open.

The other man turned. “Bout time you got home.”

“What- what the hell are you doing here? Why aren’t you in Indonesia?”

Adrian laughed and ducked his head. “I didn’t go. Never even got to the airport before I told your friend to turn around. I’ve been here the whole time.” He paused. “Where have you been?”

“I-” Deran blinked. “I’ve been at the bar. I didn’t want to be here witho-” He stopped and cleared his throat. “Why didn’t you call?”

“You threw my phone in the ocean,” Adrian reminded him lightly. “I’ve been trying to stay low, keep my head down. I thought you’d come home before now, honestly. I wasn’t trying to hide from you.”

“Who knows you’re here?”

“As far as I know? Just J,” Adrian told him, his foot scuffing at the deck. “He showed up about two days in, wanting to talk about the deal I made with the feds. We talked for a while and then he said he’d handle it.” Adrian shrugged. “He’s come by about once a week since then with some food and stuff. I haven’t exactly left the house,” he admitted sheepishly. “So what finally brought you home?”

Deran held up the papers. “J got you a lawyer. Your deal’s back on the table. He wants to talk to you tomorrow and you have court next week but J’s pretty sure you’ll get off with community service. Maybe a fine, but we’ll cover that.”

Adrian’s eyes widened. “Are you serious? He actually did it?” He snatched the papers from Deran’s hands, his eyes skimming over it quickly. “Holy shit.” He looked up at Deran. “Holy shit, Deran, I’m not going to prison.”

Deran let out a watery laugh. “Or Indonesia.”

Adrian dropped the papers and grabbed Deran’s face, pressing their lips together in a quick kiss. “You’re an idiot if you ever thought I was actually going to Indonesia without you.”

Deran dropped his forehead to rest against Adrian’s. “You would’ve been safe.”

“I would’ve been miserable and I probably would’ve come back in a few months anyway because my whole life is here.”

“Don’t tell me that,” Deran groaned. “You would’ve gotten yourself killed.”

“Maybe,” Adrian agreed, “but I’m fairly confident your family never would’ve been the ones to do it. Hell, based on how much J’s helping me out I think they might’ve helped you keep me safe. They love you, Deran. I don’t think they’d do anything to hurt you.”

“And that includes hurting you?”

“Doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” Deran kissed him again and this time he didn’t let Adrian pull away.

“Deran?” Adrian asked softly when they stopped to breath. Deran hummed in reply. “Have you been sink washing for the past month? We got a house specifically to avoid th-”

“Oh my god,” Deran groaned as he pulled away. “You and your fucking showers.”

“Good hygiene is important!” Adrian laughed.

“Yeah, yeah,” Deran stepped back inside and stripped off his shirt. “You gonna join me?”

Adrian’s grin was all the response he needed.


End file.
